At Gowrie Clare Court, heading “Out and About” isn’t just an excursion, it’s a deeply embedded practice of community connection and place-based learning. We spoke with Jess (Early Years Manager), Rosie and Mags (Early Childhood Teachers), Jane (Head of Early Learning Operations) and Margaret (Early Years Leader) to explore how this program has become a defining feature of the service and a key aspect of its philosophy. 

More than an excursion 

While programs like Bush Kinder and Beach Kinder have grown in popularity in recent years, Clare Court’s Out and About program goes back more than a decade. The service’s ideal location, neighbouring Yarraville’s Cruickshank Park, provides a range of learning spaces; willow trees, stony creek crossings, off-lead dog areas, as well as more quiet and secluded areas.  

Because of this rich learning environment, each room of the service head out each day to connect with the environment, learn from the land, and be present in their local community.“It’s not separate,” says Margaret. “It’s an extension of our service. The children don’t see it as “other”, they feel a sense of belonging and ownership over the space.” Margaret’s group will sometimes sleep under the willow tree, using the space as a peaceful and relaxing space. 

Using place as a provocation 

For Mags, the program isn’t just about being outdoors- it’s about how educators and children interact with the space. “The methodology we use is slow pedagogy. We walk slowly, we notice and we revisit things,” she explains. “We learn with the heron, not about the heron.” This approach is evident in the way Mags speaks about the Out and About program, referring to it not as a program, but as “a relationship.” 

Mags, Margaret, Jess and Rosie all describe a reciprocal relationship with park; one that includes not just humans, but animals, plants, and consideration on the impact of human behaviour. “We’re sad when we see rubbish in the creek and the heron is finding food among it,” Mags reflects. 

Risk versus benefit 

At Clare Court, risk is embraced. The embedding of the Out and About program has built an understanding between educators that risk is not something to be avoided; instead, it’s something to be managed. This means that risk is understood, assessed, and often embraced because of the meaningful learning it can hold. “Our educators are equipped with the tools and strategies to recognise and respond to risk in real-time,” Jess explains, continuing, “this is what allows us to be truly present with children in the community. Educators always have support and are operating above ratio when they’re out in the park.” 

Educators engage in regular reflective practice, updating and adapting risk minimisation plans, which they use as a living document. Intentional teaching precedes each outing as children are supported to build knowledge and skills in road safety, awareness of water hazards, and the importance of staying close to educators. 

Margaret adds, “It’s about preparing children to navigate the world, instead of shielding them from it.” By involving children in their own safety and decision-making, the program fosters capable, confident learners who can assess and respond to real-life scenarios with growing independence. 

A program that belongs to the community 

Over the years, the Out and About program has become part of the local fabric. “Before we knew it, the names we had created for our perceived landmarks were being used by schools and families,” says Jess. “Now they’re just concrete in the broader community.” The children’s names for the park, such as “Willow Tree,” “Dog Bridge,” and “Wattle Forest” have become shared reference points across generations and the whole community. 

Real-life experiences also bring layers of meaning to what community engagement looks like at Clare Court. Jess recalls a time when educators administered first aid to a woman who had collapsed in the park, “now that family comes in to visit. They’re linked to the service and they’re grateful. It’s real life. Yes, there’s risk in the community, but children are learning to respond to the unexpected.”  

Learning that’s alive 

Rosie shares that the beauty of the program lies in its unpredictability. “It’s never the same twice. The learning comes inside, and the inside goes outside. There are so many layers.” 

While the educators remain guided by regulations, frameworks and child safe standards, they describe the work as deeply authentic. “You’re not just teaching,” Rosie says. “You’re part of it. We wave to locals, or play with their dogs. One man told us during the Covid-19 lockdowns that seeing the children was always the highlight of his day, and the most human-to-human interaction he was getting.” 

Slow moments and big thinking with children 

The Out and About program is closely interwoven with Clare Court’s philosophy. When we step outside with children, we open up opportunities to build meaningful relationships with the more-than-human world. Moving through parks and natural spaces encourages educators and children to slow down and be present, which allows us to unlearn, question, and reimagine our ways of thinking. Educators and children find themselves paying close attention to the ecologies around us; herons, eels, rubbish, shells and possums. These everyday encounters offer moments to think and learn together. 

As educators, this learning from the land goes hand-in-hand with learning around First Nations’ history. This learning draws out questions around fairness and respect for all people and prompts us to reflect on the power dynamics which shape our world. Educators sit with these questions, alongside children and colleagues, aware that our relationships with Place are layered and complex. 

Interwoven, inclusive, and identity-forming 

Jane, former manager at Clare Court, summarises, saying “Out and About has always been a big part of the service. It’s something families come to us for. It’s part of our identity and proof of how powerful place-based pedagogy can be.” 

In the words of Mags, “It’s poetic, children in a beautiful space of acceptance. It’s interwoven. It’s an ethos.” 

For Jess, she feels passionate about the program. “It’s not something that we’re ever going to let go of. It’s beneficial for the children, for the educators, and for members of the community. We will be doing this for years to come.” 

Related links

Read more: Why nature play is important for children

Reflective questions: 

  • How does my service currently engage children with their local environment beyond the fence line? 
  • What does ‘place-based learning’ mean in the context of my own setting? 
  • How can I intentionally build children’s understanding of personal safety in community spaces? 
  • How do I currently reflect on and update risk assessments as a team? Could this process become more collaborative? 
  • What role do educators in my setting play in shaping a ‘culture of safety’ that still allows for challenge and exploration?